Directed by Sue Kim

Rating: ★★★★★

“Being a Haenyeo is a calling.” And, “I’m happy at the ocean; it doesn’t matter how much I make.” I can’t start this post without sitting with these words. So many people spend their whole lives never discovering what their calling is. Myself included, perhaps.

What a beautiful production from A24. It feels like everything they release lately is so compelling and carefully crafted, and this is no exception. This documentary immerses us in the world of the Haenyeo — the female divers of Jeju Island, South Korea — who have, for centuries, made their living harvesting mollusks, seaweed, and other marine life from the ocean. Renowned for their resilience and independence, they embody the island’s semi-matriarchal family structure. Despite the constant dangers of their work — so perilous they aren’t even eligible for health insurance — they continue to dive, defying the odds with grace and quiet strength.

To be honest, as a South Korean dramaturgy enthusiast, this story is not new to me. I’ve seen multiple portrayals of these remarkable women — from Our Blues to When Life Gives you Tangerine to Smugglers. Each one has felt consistently authentic, compassionate, and graceful in its own way.

This documentary focuses on the aging Haenyeo, many in their sixties and seventies, while also touching on younger divers who share glimpses of their life online. Their traditional way of living now faces threats from pollution, climate change, and radioactive contamination drifting from Fukushima. These dangers have spurred the Haenyeo to speak up, with one diver even testifying at the United Nations. Supported by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, who joined as an executive producer, The Last of the Sea Women is both an homage and a quiet but powerful call to honor and protect these women and the culture they sustain.

Image courtesy of Apple TV Plus